Sectional pier



D. A. DALLY SECTIONAL PIER Nov. 24, 1964 Filed March 28, 1961 INVENTOR. OO/V A. @ALL V Nov. 24, 1964 Filed March 28. 1961 D. A. DALLY 3,158,003

SECTIONAL. PIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0G/V .4. @All V be tentatively located on the rods, the sections slipped onto the rods, and the isystem lowered, effecting both the interlocking and the anchoring of the rods, followed by final` adjustment of the collars. Another variant would be to couple the section to an erected section, manually supporting the outer end of the new section until the posts have been inserted and contacted the bottom, followed by securement of the collars at the proper level.

Not only is the system easy of erection and capable of variety of pattern, but is possessed of a further important attribute in that damaged sections may be easily replaced, and at low cost. Also, the shape of the pier may be varied from time to time.

FIGURES 5 land 6 show a modification wherein, the bottom-engaging end of the supporting, upright rods, instead of a conical point, comprises a downwardly open semi-'spherical shell, or bell, 62, having an upper, central boss 64 with a frusto-spherical socket, snugly receiving a ball 66 carried on a central shank 68 on the lower end of rod 39. This form avoids the excessive, and progressive penetration which might ensue from the use of a pointed rod in unusually soft bottom material, and yet provides satisfactory anchorage at low penetration since any tendency to move sidewise is resisted by the resultant forces which tend to push the bell further into the bottom.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 7, the metallic collar 40 has, as an incident of manufacture, its iianged end embedded in the pier section, concentric with hole 38, and with its lower end extending downwardly to accommodate the set screw 41. This reduces the number of distinct parts to be shipped, handled, and manipulated, from three to two, and therefore contributes to eiiiciency from several standpoints.

Whereas certain preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in the light of this disclosure, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar .as shall appear from 'the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. For use in a sectionalized pier structure, la unit for chainwise coupling comprising a rectangular block having a first, generally planar face, and an opposite face with co-planar, marginal portions on its four sides extending downwardly `from said opposite face, and diagonal webs extending downwardly from said opposite face, with recessed areas bounded by said portions and said webs, said block lhaving perforations in said recessed areas, and bores in corner areas common to vadjacent [pairs of said marginal portions, a rectangular tab on one side of said block, medially thereof, extending therefrom, and extending depthwise from said first face to a plane inwardly of the plane of said marginal portions, and said tab having a rectangular, through opening depthwise, the opposite side of said block from said one side having a rabbeted recess in its upper corner, sized and disposed in complementary relation to said tab, including a rectangular boss extending upwardly through the recess to said first planar face and adapted to mate with the opening in the tab, whereby the recess of one block may receive the tab of another, in interlocking relation, and the other two sides of said block, respectively, having a recess and a tab 'of structure identical with the first mentioned recess and tab.

2. For use in a sectionalized pier structure, a unit for chainwise coupling comprising a rectangular block having a first, generally planar face, and `an opposite face with co-planar, marginal portions on its four sides extending downwardly from said opposite face, and diagonal webs extending downwardly from said opposite face, with recessed vareas bounded by said portions and said webs, said block having bores in corner areas common to adjacent pairs of said marginal portions, ya tab on one side of said block, rnedially thereof, extending therefrom, and of a thickness less than the maximum thickness of said block, and having a through opening depthwise, the opposite side of said block from said one side having a rabbeted recess in its upper corner, sized and disposed in complementary relation to said tab, and having a boss extending upwardly through the recess to said first planar face and adapted to mate with the opening in the tab, whereby the recess of one block may re- `ceive the tab of another, in interlocking relation, and the other two sides of said block, respectively, having a recess and a tab of structure identical with that of the first-mentioned recess and tab.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 522,120 McHanry June 20, 1894 1,358,951 Helmick Nov. 16, 1920 1,643,766 Fahrenwald Sept. 27, 1927 1,690,259 Strauss Nov. 6, 1928 1,900,319 Vermgulen Mar. 7, 1933 1,916,620 Johnson July 4, 1933 2,237,387 Crites Apr. 8, 1941 2,260,294 Brown Oct. 28, 1941 2,360,933 Bunker Oct. 24, 1944 2,426,477 Walton Aug. 26, 1947 A2,693,102. Luster Nov. 2, 1954 3,074,239 Mustard lune 22, 1963 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 717,453 Germany Feb. 14, 1942 598,528 Canada May 24, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Plastics (publication), February 1957, pp. 98-99. 

1. FOR USE IN A SECTIONALIZED PIER STRUCTURE, A UNIT FOR CHAINWISE COUPLING COMPRISING A RECTANGULAR BLOCK HAVING A FIRST, GENERALLY PLANAR FACE, AND AN OPPOSITE FACE WITH CO-PLANAR, MARGINAL PORTIONS ON ITS FOUR SIDES EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID OPPOSITE FACE, AND DIAGONAL WEBS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID OPPOSITE FACE, WITH RECESSED AREAS BOUNDED BY SAID PORTIONS AND SAID WEBS, SAID BLOCK HAVING PERFORATIONS IN SAID RECESSED AREAS, AND BORES IN CORNER AREAS COMMON TO ADJACENT PAIRS OF SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS, A RECTANGULAR TAB ON ONE SIDE OF SAID BLOCK, MEDIALLY THEREOF, EXTENDING THEREFROM, AND EXTENDING DEPTHWISE FROM SAID FIRST FACE TO A PLANE INWARDLY OF THE PLANE OF SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS, AND SAID TAB HAVING A RECTANGULAR, THROUGH OPENING DEPTHWISE, THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID BLOCK FROM SAID ONE SIDE HAVING A RABBETED RECESS IN ITS UPPER CORNER, SIZED AND DISPOSED IN COMPLEMENTARY RELATION TO SAID TAB, INCLUDING A RECTANGULAR BOSS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH THE RECESS TO SAID FIRST PLANAR FACE AND ADAPTED TO MATE WITH THE OPENING IN THE TAB, WHEREBY THE RECESS OF ONE BLOCK MAY RECEIVE THE TAB OF ANOTHER, IN INTERLOCKING RELATION, AND THE OTHER TWO SIDES OF SAID BLOCK, RESPECTIVELY, HAVING A RECESS AND A TAB OF STRUCTURE IDENTICAL WITH THE FIRST MENTIONED RECESS AND TAB. 